


Humanity's Strongest

by lizziebobizzy



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-01-11 22:50:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1178904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizziebobizzy/pseuds/lizziebobizzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of fics based on RivaMika week prompts.</p><p>"Friends?" he asked with a scoff. "Am I supposed to play act your uncle then? Pretend I haven’t covered every inch of your skin with my mouth? Meanwhile, I’m supposed to pretend to be your uncle and protect you—” he broke off with a silent laugh, but there was no light in his eyes—“protect you from boys who want to do exactly what I’ve done to you, and what I’ll dream of doing to you every night from here on for eternity.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gone With the 3DMG

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RivaMika Week 2.0, Day 1: Legendary Lovers.
> 
> In which Mikasa thinks she’s in love with Eren, Levi knows she’s not, and it takes a civil war for her to figure out he’s right.

Mikasa Jaeger was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it in the face of her exotic ethnicity. Dark irises that melded seamlessly with black pupilsand inky hair contrasted vividly against creamy skin—that pale skin so prized by Sina noblewomen and guarded so carefully with an array of veils, bonnets, and parasols” Lush eyelashes fringed wide eyes, courtesy of her biological European father, while delicate features accompanied a slim stature, courtesy of her biological Asian mother. Her hair, a black, shimmery mass of silk, gleamed under the last rays of sunlight and called to suitors to catch a strand and see if it felt as satiny as it looked.

She sure made a pretty picture, seated on the porch of her daddy’s plantation, Sasha Braus thought wistfully as she rode her horse up the main entrance. She quickly dismounted and ran up the

“No,” Mikasa said immediately upon catching sight of Sasha’s face.

“Aw, come on, darling. Aren’t you at least a little bit glad to see me?”

“ _No,_ ” Mikasa enunciated. “I swear to God, Sasha, I _told_ you the last time you got expelled that I didn’t want to see your mongrel face unless it had a diploma stamped to it!”

“But, darling,” Sasha pleaded, “You know I can’t _abide_ those old bookish colleges anyway. The whole time those snooty professors were yammering on and on about some Aristotles and sommat, and I just wanted to be back here, working the land with my own bare hands. No one gives a damn about classical education anymore anyway.”

It was true. Sasha was a part of the growing group of aristocratic families that had quickly descended into poverty with the fall of Wall Maria and the ensuing chaos. Whereas a mere decade ago it would have been unheard of for the Braus family to stoop to physical labor, the Ackerman family now hired the Braus’s to work their plantation out of respect of the Braus daughter’s friendship with their daughter.

Many of the lower nobles resented the turn of situations that had led to their downfall, but not Sasha. In fact, she took to hard labor with such gleeful abandon that rumors of her “eccentricity” had begun to circulate among the gentry.

“You should’ve gone instead of me, Mikasa,” Sasha grumbled. “They said it was _indecorous_ for a lady to walk out of the dining hall with an armful of potatoes, and yet when I asked them _why_ ; well, then that right-down shut them up for good. I know you only want the best for me, but…I like this. I really like working the ground, the delicious ache in your muscles after a hard day’s work, being able to eat as much as I want without worry about what others think. You would enjoy college, but it’s just not for me.”

“Hm.” The sound was a very noncommittal grunt. As one of the lesser noble families, Sasha had had a much more free reign than Mikasa even before the Braus daughter had even descended into financial ruin.

Mikasa, on the other hand…if she asked, she had no doubt her father would let her attend Sina University. But the top tier of society was restricted to rigid behaviors and customs that outsiders might find outdated, including the concept that classical education was a masculine domain. And being the (adoptive) daughter of a duke, Mikasa was only one or two steps down from the king, depending on whom you asked. There was very little she could do without first factoring in the social norm and etiquette. And if she had to choose between her family’s desires and her own, she’d choose her family’s ever time.

Mikasa sighed. “I’m sorry, Sasha. It seems I’ve pushed my desires onto you needlessly.”

“No—not at all!” Sasha waved her hands frantically. “At first, I were a lil ornery, but it was a great experience overall. Look—I even speak all grand and proper now. Mostly. Anyways, it was good, but I’m glad I’m back.”

Mikasa smiled gently. “Me too.”

 _Agh_! Sasha bent over and screamed internally, her face flaming dangerously. _Why is she so freaking cute!_ “A-anyway,” Sasha coughed, righting herself up again. “What’s this I hear about a barbecue tomorrow?”

“Oh dear.” Mikasa raised a brow and lifted a hand to cover her mouth lightly. “I do hope you didn’t expect to invited. I had no idea you were coming after all.”

“What.”

“Well, I did just hand out the last invitation to the Springer family before you came, and I do have a strict guest limit.”

“Aw, Mikasa, surely you’re joshing.”

“You should have told me you were coming back.”

“I—I—”

“And it would’ve been the perfect opportunity too, since Connie will be going too...” Mikasa’s smile was positively feral.

Sasha felt her face burning. So she found Springer a little easy on the eyes. It didn’t mean nothing. “Oh, please,” Sasha begged. “I’ll let you in on this very interesting nugget of information I gleaned on my way back home today,” she enticed.

“What could you possibly hear that I don’t know already?”

“I don’t know; I was pretty surprised when I found out. And…it has to do with your brother.” Now it was Sasha’s turn to be sly.

“Fine,” Mikasa huffed. She probably gave in far too easily when Eren was the subject. It might be her one weakness. “You’re invited. What is it?”

“Well…guess who’s going to be announcing his engagement to the Arlert boy soon?”

Mikasa froze, her face deathly pale. “What?”

“Aha!” Sasha said in triumph. “I told you you’d be surprised! A little birdie told me that Arlert and Eren have sealed the deal! It’s all very hush-hush for now, but it’ll be announced soon. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine—I just—I’m feeling a little dizzy.”

“Oh dear, it must the heat. Goodness knows just when the temperature will stop rising. You get inside now and rest. I’ll…” Sasha’s voice turned dejected. “I guess…I’ll have to go back and face my parents. Oh man, I really don’t want to—please Mikasa can’t I stay here with you?”

“Just tell him the truth. He’ll understand.”

“I know, but he’s always wanted better for me. He’ll be terribly disappointed.”

“Parents and their expectations.”

“Exactly.” A long-suffering sigh. “I guess he’ll have to know sooner or later.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, dear, you really don’t look well. Get some rest, okay, honey?”

“Stop worrying.” Mikasa tried for a wan smile. “I’m fine. You should hurry home. I’m sure your father missed you.”

“I guess. See ya tomorrow, Mikasa,” Sasha called from her horse, giving the girl a two-fingered salute.

Mikasa stayed outside to watch Sasha leave the driveway, then rushed back into her home, flopping dramatically on her bed. 

Eren…to Armin? But they were just friends! It just wasn’t possible. She’d…she’d always…well. She and Eren were only _adoptive_ siblings after all. And they’d always been…very close. Was it so strange to assume…that they’d end up together? She liked Eren…a lot.

Whatever! Mikasa flopped onto her back decisively. No use questioning these things now. She’d ask Eren and find out the truth tomorrow.

\---

“Sasha!” Mikasa hissed, grabbing onto her sleeve. “Have you seen Eren?”

“No, why?” A knowing look entered Sasha’s eyes. “Ah, ah, ah! Trying to double check what I’ve said? I’m telling you; it’s all true!”

“Sure, sure.” A guest called Mikasa, and she prepared to play host, but not before snarling at Sasha: “And don’t tell _anyone_ what you told me yesterday!”

“Whoa, sure thing, honey pie,” Sasha said, putting her hands up in the air. “Man, you’re more strung up than a brat birthing his first foal.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes before turning away. She wasn’t strung up. Why would she be? There was no reason to be. She just needed to talk to Eren.

Mikasa, by conventional standards, was a terrible host. She had no use for small talk that she had no interest in, and she was hardly the type to spout the various platitudes necessary of a welcoming host. But the genuine way she listened to her guests and catered to minute needs beyond the domain of a host far outweighed any of  her reserved tendencies.

She was slipping in a bit of rum into a drink for a guest (whose daughter had just turned two and looked like she dearly needed it) when she felt it. She was very acute, always had been, and the pair of eyes entrained on her were so intense she’d have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not feel their sensation on the back of her neck.

Calmly, serenely, she turned around, and her eyes fell on a stranger, standing alone in the hall, staring at her in a cool impertinent way that brought her up sharply with a mingled feeling of feminine pleasure that she had attracted a man and an embarrassed sensation that her dress was too low in the bosom. He looked quite old, at least thirty-five. He was a tall man and powerfully built. Scarlett thought she had never seen a man with such wide shoulders, so heavy with muscles, almost too heavy for gentility. When her eye caught his, he smiled, showing straight animal-white teeth. His eyes were as bold and black as any pirate’s appraising a galleon to be scuttled or a maiden to be ravished. There was a cool recklessness in his face and a cynical humor in his mouth as he smiled at her, and Mikasa caught her breath. She felt that she should be insulted by such a look and was annoyed with herself because she did not feel insulted.

He’s also incredibly short, Mikasa realized, barely reaching the shoulders of many of the other guests.

She smiled politely, desperate to appeared unruffled, but in a firm way that hopefully told him such impertinence was not to be

The man’s smile only turned more feral, and he continued to look leisurely at her, scanning up and down her body.

Mikasa huffed and did the same nonchalantly as if there was not much to look at it. (She was good at faking.) She would not be the one to lose this battle and look away first.

“Levi!” A voice called out. “Come here! I want to you meet the most hardhearted girl in all of Shinganshina.”

Levi stared for one lingering moment, then turned slowly and left. Mikasa, entranced, stared at his back a while longer, then berated herself angrily for it. Levi…The name seemed familiar…

But she had better things to do than think of uncivilized men. “Eren,” she called out, as she finally caught sight of him. “May I have a word?”

“Of course, Mikasa,” he said with a warm smile that sent shivers down her spine, those wonderfully blue-green eyes trained on hers. See, this was how a gentleman treated a lady, unlike that despicable man from before, whom she would no longer be thinking of.

“Alone,” Mikasa enunciated.

His look turned questioning, but he followed Mikasa away from the party and into their household.

Mikasa sighed. How to start? “I’ve heard…well, I’ve been hearing things.”

“Mm-hm?”

“Things about you…and Armin.”

Eren blushed, to Mikasa’s dawning horror. This couldn’t be happening.

“Ah, you heard about that? We’ve been keeping it pretty hush-hush, but, then, you’ve always been good at sniffing out details of my life.” Eren smiled playfully down at Mikasa.

“But…Eren…you can’t.” It was the most of a sentence she could form.

“Mikasa.” Eren’s face turned serious. “I’m sorry. I wanted you to hear this from me first. I…I love Armin. He’s just kind of perfect. Please be happy for me.”

“But it’s just so…”

“I know it’s a lot to take in. Should I give you some time to think it over?” Eren made to turn towards the doorway.

“Wait!” Mikasa’s hand snatched at his sleeve. She couldn’t just let him leave. “Eren…you must know…Eren—I—!”

“Mikasa…”

“I love you desperately, Eren. I always thought one day we would…”

Eren took her hand and held it tenderly in hers. He looked at it, turning it over in his palm. “Such beautiful hands…Mikasa, you’ve always had such lovely hands.”

Mikasa’s hand trembled.

“Mikasa, I do love you. Dearly. We’ve always been incredibly close, since you were adopted. But…Armin brings me peace. And I know you think you love me, but what I feel for Armin, it’s completely different from what you believe love to be. You were alone and little, and I must have seemed a savior to you, reaching out when no one would.”

“That’s _bullshit_ ,” Mikasa cut in angrily. She was angry to hear how her voice quivered. “Eren, you know we’ve always been closer than anyone else. How could you just…?”

“I don’t know how to describe this to you until you feel it yourself,” Eren said, frustration showing through his voice for the first time. “We’ve always been so _restless_ , and maybe that’s why we could understand each other, but Armin makes it go away. He makes me want to stand still.”

Stand still? Why did it seem the more they talked, the farther Eren moved away from her? She couldn’t understand a single thing he was saying. She had to convince him that she was right for him. “Just…just please leave.” No! That wasn’t what she wanted to say.

“Okay. I’ll give you some time. I understand it’s a lot to take in. Mikasa…just…I’m really happy, okay? And I really want you to be to. That has never changed.”

Mikasa didn’t say anything, listening to the door creak slowly as Eren shut it behind him. She slid to the floor slowly, tilting her head back against the wall. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. That had not gone as she expected it at all.

A low snicker brought her out of her reverie, and she snapped her head back upright so quickly her hair flew everywhere.

Her eyes met gray ones. _Levi. How long as he been there?_

A corner of his lips quirked, as if anticipating her question. “That was quite the show, my lady.”

Well that answered it. “It was incredibly rude to not inform us of your presence,” she said stiffly. How embarrassing, to be seen in such a state by him of all people!

“You have somehow managed to throw away both your honor and dignity within a couple of moments in front of your brother. I’m embarrassed for you.”

Mikasa flushed angrily. How dare he! “You—the nerve of—!” Mikasa fumed. “You don’t understand at all what went on, least of all have the authority to tell me I’ve lost my dignity.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “I know enough to understand that you’ve romanticized your shitty feelings for that brat into something they’re not.”

“That’s not—Eren and I have been together forever! My feelings for him are _not_ shitty.”

“He’s been leading you on, because he likes having a pretty girl fawn over him, but neither of you are in love with each other, that much is obvious to even me. You’re too much for the little bastard to handle anyway.”

Somehow the man’s condescending words cut her more than Eren’s news. “We are in love! With each other!” Mikasa said desperately. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”

Levi snorted.

“This is enough.” Mikasa was the daughter of a _duke_. Who was this man, who thought he could treat her as inferior to him? “Please remove yourself from the premises immediately and never show up in front of me again.”

“As my lady wishes,” Levi said sarcastically, conducting a sweeping bow. He was completely unruffled, while she was steaming, and that angered her to no end. After he had left, she fled up to her room. Sooner or later someone would notice her disappearance from the party and come looking for her. But she couldn’t deal with that just yet.

\---

Sometime in the night, Mikasa woke up groggily to shattering noises. Then one large man burst into her bedroom door.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” he asked. They all ranked of sweat and manure and soot. “Go me self a pretty little princess for me to enjoy.”

Fully awake, now, she could her a large din outside. What was going on? She groped around the bed frantically. She needed a weapon, anything. The man approached and she scrambled to the other side of the bed.

“Easy there, princess. Why don’t we all just have a good time? I’ll show pleasure those pissy noble pricks could never have dreamed of.”

Mikasa continued to shake, and made a desperate run for the door, darting past the man.

He grabbed her quickly and pulled her towards him. Her face was pressed towards his sweaty chest, and his giant paws roamed over her body. Mikasa wanted to vomit at the stench. “What? Think you’re too good for a commoner like me? I’ll show you!”

The man threw her at the bed, and her head knocked against the head post frighteningly. She heard a sickening crunch, but he continued to clamber over her, paying no heed to her injuries. She scratched and punched at his chest, but the blow to her head had dizzied her, and her arms felt weak.

The man slobbered over her neck, and she wanted to cry. Was this actually going to happen? He began calling her vulgar names, using terms that Mikasa couldn’t understand. She never stopped kicking and fighting, but it seemed to have no effect on him.

Just when she was about to resign herself to her fate, the man stilled suddenly and was yanked off of the bed. Mikasa looked down to see a knife in the man’s back as he lay on the floor and met grays eyes once again.

She looked down frightfully at her savior, the man who had made fun of her a couple hours prior.

He cursed loudly at the sight of her, so proud and brought down so low. “Can you stand?” he asked and yanked her up forcefully.

She hated being seen by him of all people while she was at her lowest. She glared and tugged her hand on her own. “I can stand just fine, thanks.”

She stumbled, and Levi cursed again, grabbing her arm to balance her. “You’re clearly not fine,” he spat.

“I am!” she insisted.

“You,” Levi hissed, “are not fine until I say so. You are not fine until you are standing on top of all these mongrels and crushing them under your heel, with the haughtiness you think you can hide but exudes from your every action. You are not fine until that fire is back in your eyes, until men and women are falling over their feet to fulfill your every desire as always. You should never have to see this.”

Mikasa is taken aback by the intensity of Levi’s speech. Who was this man, to have analyzed her so accurately with one glance?

Mikasa glared back at him. He wants fire? Oh, she’ll give him fire. “I am not some… _princess_ ”—the word wa distasteful on her tongue, after that man did what he did, but she didn't let it stop her—“who needs someone like you to tell me when I’m fine. I’ll look out for myself thank you very much.” And with that, she reached over the arm Levi was not holding across his body and pulls one of his daggers out of the sheath at his belt. 

“I’ll be borrowing this,” she sniffed, and looked down at him, expecting more anger at the ease with which she took his things.

Instead, she was completely blown away by what looked like…a tender expression on his face. She turned warm for some reason.

“Listen, I’ve brought along my men, and we’ve managed to fight off the rest of the mob, but your plantation’s not a pretty sight right now.”

“What on earth is going on? Is my family okay? And Sasha? Who could do such a thing?”

Levi snorted. “Surely even our most sheltered noblewoman has heard of the increasing class tension between the aristocracy and the plebeians. The nobles’ position at the top tier of society is shaky, and many ambitious middle-class men would like to free up some space there.”

“But…but those are just rumors,” Mikasa said disbelievingly. “There’s no way the commoners would all rise up against the nobles…And the Jaeger family has always been incredibly generous to its tenants.”

“Yes, well, it would seem they have risen up,” Levi said wryly. “And while I agree the Jaegers uphold their philanthropic policies towards the lower-class, most of the nobles cannot claim to be so altruistic, and a series of rising taxes, increasing prices, and decreasing wages have led to a what you could call an uprising.”

At that moment, Karla and Grisha burst in, along with Eren. “Mikasa,” Karla cried, pressing Mikasa’s head to her breast. “Oh, thank god, I didn’t know what I would’ve done if…”

Grisha approached Levi solemnly, extending his hand. “Thank you, Levi. I don’t know where I would be right now if not for your perceptive foresight. I must say I underestimated the anger of the Shinganshina residents, and it is a mistake I will remember for a long time. Is there any way I can repay you?”

Levi gripped his hand firmly. “Well, your daughter, for one.” Everyone froze, except for Levi, who continued to shake Grisha’s hand.

Eren burst out at that. “Hell no! Who do you think you are? A businessman”—Mikasa jolted at that; there was something about Levi that was distinctly not like other noblemen, but she hadn’t realized he was _common born_ —“and you want to the hand of a daughter of a duke! We don’t know who you are, or where you come from. What ulterior motives do you have, swooping in to save us like this?”

Levi laughed. “Oh, I don’t want her hand. I want to make her my mistress.” Mikasa gasped.

At that, Grisha spoke firmly. “Levi, I am very appreciative of all you’ve done for us. That being said, Mikasa is not a commodity to be bartered, and I would rather you left than continue to make insinuations as such.”

Levi complied obediently, with a sweeping, sarcastic bow as he left. “Yes, your grace. But I’ll be back.”

\---

In the morning, things did not look so bad, but they also looked worse. Mikasa took a stroll around the field, eyeing the uprooted crops and the shredded machinery woefully. Their plantation was in _ruins._ The world was very cruel.

Someone walked up quietly next to her, and she didn’t have to look to know it was Levi. They both stood there for a while.

Finally, Mikasa spoke. “Alright, fine.”

“Alright fine what?”

“Alright I’ll marry you.”

“That’s not what I wanted.”

“That’s what you’ll get.”

“Hmph. You’re a cheeky brat, aren’t you? You’re not nearly in the position to be making demands.”

“You’ll marry me or nothing,” Mikasa said haughtily, tipping her chin up.

“You little shit,” Levi said, but he somehow managed to make the insult sound affectionate. “Alright then.”

Mikasa jutted out her hand.

Levi rolled his eyes. “You’re my fiancée now, and you want to shake hands, my dear, pretty little fool?” He yanked Mikasa towards him and planted one right on her lips, his lips firm and applying a slight pressure to her mouth.

His lips were soft and silky against hers, but he pulled them away before she could savor the sensation. Mikasa stared at him, a bit light-headed, and Levi grinned in masculine satisfaction at the look on her face.

“That’s more like it,” he said before leaving.

\---

They were married quickly, to the dismay of Mikasa’s family, who asked if she was sure around a thousand times before the marriage.

But Mikasa was sure. Levi was a good man, despite how infuriating he may have been, and he was rich, most of all. He was, unfortunately, a vulgar businessman, but he was a good businessman man, and he made a lot of money. The Jaegers needed money, desperately, especially in the midst of all the rising violence against nobles. Not only did they need to replace their tools and replant their crops, but they would also need money for hired soldiers to protect their lands.

So they were married quickly and quietly in a small chapel. Levi was quiet for most of the carriage ride back, and Mikasa refused to start the conversation

  
When they reached his home— _their_ home, Mikasa corrected himself—he swung himself out of the carriage to the ground. He was well dressed too, his clothes fitting him, instead of hanging in folds or being almost too tight for movement. And they were new, not ragged, with dirty bare flesh and hairy legs showing through. His face was bland and his mouth, red lipped, clear cut as a woman’s, frankly sensual, smiled carelessly as he lifted her out of the carriage. The muscles of his body rippled against his well-tailored clothes, as he put her on the ground beside him, and, as always, the sense of his great physical power struck her like a blow. She watched the swell of his powerful shoulders against the cloth with a fascination that was disturbing, a little frightening. His body seemed so tough and hard, as tough and hard as his keen mind. His was such an easy, graceful strength, lazy as a panther stretching in the sun, alert as a panther to spring and strike. 

So caught was Mikasa in her reverie, that she almost didn’t notice as the wind swept away her bonnet. “Ah,” she cried, and made a desperate grab for it.

Levi caught it easily as it swung past him.

“Thank you,” Mikasa said gratefully, forgetting her vow to not start any conversation with him. “It’s very important to me; it’s—hey!” Mikasa reached angrily for her bonnet as Levi held it out behind him. “What are you doing? Give it back.”

“Ah, ah, ah. What will I get in return?”

“Please,” Mikasa said frantically. “I’ve had that forever—Eren gave it to me…”

Levi’s eyes darkened, but he kept his voice light. His dark eyes wandered to her lips. “How about…a kiss.”

“I don’t care for such personal conversation,” she said coolly and managed a frown. “Besides, I’d just as soon kiss a pig.”

“There’s no accounting for tastes and I’ve always heard the Jaegers were partial to pigs—kept them under their beds, in fact. But, Mikasa, you need kissing badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. All your beaux have respected you too much, though God knows why, or they have been too afraid of you to really do right by you. The result is that you are unendurably uppity. You should be kissed and by someone who knows how.”

The conversation was not going the way she wanted it. It never did when she was with him.

Always, it was a duel in which she was worsted.

“And I suppose you think you are the proper person?” she asked with sarcasm, holding her temper in check with difficulty.

“Oh, yes, if I cared to take the trouble,” he said carelessly. “They say I kiss very well.”

“Oh,” she began, indignant at the slight to her charms. “Why, you . . .” But her eyes fell in sudden confusion. He was smiling, but in the dark depths of his eyes a tiny light flickered for a brief moment, like a small raw flame.

Her breath caught.

“Well? What will it be?” he asked.

Mikasa lunged violently at him, clacking her lips at his and banging into his teeth hard. She grabbed her bonnet from hands that had gone slack and withdrew. “I’d really like to know who this ‘they’ is, for they really don’t know what they’re talking about. That was terrible.” With a huff, she wiped her lips and turned on her heels.

His laughter followed behind her, and she screamed in surprise as she was suddenly lifted into the air.

“What are you _doing_ ,” she exclaimed at Levi, who had swept her off her feet.

“Silly dear, don’t you know? The husband must carry the wife over the threshold upon entering their new home.”

\---

The days passed by frantically in their married life, as Mikasa and Levi worked to fix the damage that had been wrought on to the Jaeger plantation. There was lots to do, especially since the business had been doing badly the past few years, which no one had seemed to feel necessary to inform Mikasa until she was married, Mikasa thought indignantly. Eren had married into the Arlert family and left the plantation to Mikasa, which suited her just fine. She loved—admired that Levi respected her as an equal, giving her an equal share of work to manage on the plantation. Sure, it was unconventional, but at this point, all that mattered was keeping the plantation alive. Besides, Mikasa liked it. There was a thrill in being mentally challenged the way

Levi seemed to sense that Mikasa was not prepared to take on her wifely duties just yet, and didn’t press. Both went to their separate rooms in the night. When they had free time, they fought a lot, but they also kissed a lot.

They lived for months in this fashion. Gradually, they became close, and Mikasa liked to think of them as friends. Friends who lived with each other and kissed each other sometimes.

Gradually, Mikasa opened up to Levi about her past. How Eren had saved her from the smuggling ring. How the Jaegers had taken her in unconditionally and treated her as one of their own. How she had sworn to repay them with her life.

She felt an ease with Levi that she had never known before. She talked of not being respected, of being looked down by the men all the time. “Mikasa don’t do that, we wouldn’t want to ruin your pretty little hands, would we?” she said scornfully. “As if I’m nothing more than hands and a pretty face for you to look at. And most men are so dumb they deserve to be manipulated the way I do. It’s all harmless.”

Levi, in turn, looked at her ruefully. “My pretty little kitty, with her hidden claws that no one sees.” He didn’t like to talk about his past, but Mikasa managed to pry him open a little. How he started as an orphaned beggar on the streets, then worked his way up to the top with cunning, ambition, and back-stabbing.

Once, Mikasa thought she might be…well, she might…have very strong feelings for Levi, then backtracked so quickly she almost gave herself a headache. How could she? She was devoted to Eren. Eren. Eren. Mikasa thought of Eren, unaware that reverie brought a softness to her face which Levi had never seen before. He looked at the slanting black eyes, wide and misty, and the tender curve of her lips and for a moment his breath stopped. Then his mouth went down violently at one corner and he swore with passionate impatience.

“Mikasa, you’re a fool!”

Before she could withdraw her mind from its far places, his arms were around her, sure and hard. She felt again the rush of helplessness, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that left her limp. And the thought of Eren Jaeger was blurred and drowned to nothingness. He bent back her head across his arm and kissed her, softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made her cling to him as the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world. His insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves, evoking from her sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling. And before a swimming giddiness spun her round and round, she knew that she was kissing him back.

“Stop—please, I’m faint!” she whispered, trying to turn her head weakly from him. She had only ever been kissed by Levi, and never so fiercely before. She had no idea what to do. He pressed her head back hard against his shoulder and she had a dizzy glimpse of his face. His eyes were wide and blazing, and the tremor in his arms frightened her.

“I want to make you faint. I will make you faint. You’ve had this coming to you for years. None of the fools you’ve known have kissed you like this—have they? Those limpid gentlemen, drooling at your feet for scraps, your stupid Eren—”

“Please—”

“I said your stupid Eren. Gentlemen all—what do they know about women? What did they know about you? I know you.”

His mouth was on hers again and she surrendered without a struggle. She didn’t want to struggle. His breath was hot against her lips. She was so caught up in the sensation that she almost missed it when he murmured against her lips, “Why did you say yes? That day, when I asked to marry you.”

“You mean when you wanted me to be your mistress,” Mikasa reminded him pertly once she regained her sense.

“Yes, that too,” Levi said. “Was it because of my money?”

“Well—a part,” Mikasa said truthfully. “But I’m also very fond of you.”

“Fond of me?”

“Well,” she said fretfully, “if I said I was madly in love with you, I’d be lying and what’s more, you’d know it.”

“Sometimes I think you carry your truth telling too far, my pet. Don’t you think, even if it was a lie, that it would be appropriate for you to say ‘I love you, Levi,’ even if you didn’t mean it?”

What was he driving at, she wondered, becoming more confused. He looked so queer, eager, hurt, mocking. He took his hands from her and shoved them deep in his trousers pockets and she saw him ball his fists.

“If it costs me a husband, I’ll tell the truth,” she thought grimly, her blood rising up as always when he baited her. “Levi, it would be a lie, and why should we go through all that foolishness? I’m fond of you, like I said. You know how it is. You told me once that you didn’t love me but that we had a lot in common.”

He had, in a moment of weakness, when she had poured out some of her most confidential secrets to him, her eyes big as she looked at him in the dark.

“Oh, God!” he whispered rapidly, turning his head away. “To be taken in my own trap!”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing,” and he looked at her and laughed, but it was not a pleasant laugh. He laughed again and bent and kissed her hands.  She was relieved to see his mood pass and good humor apparently return, so she smiled too.

He played with her hand for a moment and grinned up at her.

“Have you ever in your novel reading come across the old situation of the disinterested wife falling in love with her own husband?”

“You know I don’t read novels,” she said and, trying to equal his jesting mood, went on: “Besides, you once said at the beginning of our marriage that it was the height of bad form for husbands and wives to love each other.”

“I once said too God damn many things,” he retorted abruptly and rose to his feet.

“Don’t swear.”

“You’ll have to get used to it and learn to swear too. You’ll have to get used to all my bad habits. That’ll be part of the price of being--fond of me and getting your pretty paws on my money.”

“Well, don’t fly off the handle so, because I didn’t lie and make you feel conceited. You aren’t in love with me, are you? Why should I be in love with you?”

“No, my dear, I’m not in love with you, no more than you are with me, and if I were, you would be the last person I’d ever tell. God help the man who ever really loves you. You’d break his heart, my darling, cruel, destructive little cat who is so careless and confident she doesn’t even trouble to sheathe her claws.”

He jerked her to her feet and kissed her again, but this time his lips were different for he seemed not to care if he hurt her-- seemed to want to hurt her, to insult her. His lips slid down to her throat and finally he pressed them against the taffeta over her breast, so hard and so long that his breath burnt to her skin. Her hands struggled up, pushing him away in outraged modesty.

“You mustn’t! How dare you!”

“Your heart’s going like a rabbit’s,” he said mockingly. “All too fast for mere fondness I would think, if I were conceited.”

“You’re acting awfully strange, Levi!” she cried. She peeled her hand back to slap, but he caught it.

“No, darling, I just don’t hang on to your every word like those puppies you call gentlemen do. Tell me,” he continued, “what were you thinking of just now? Before I kissed you?”

“Before you kissed me? Oh! You mean…” Mikasa hesitated, although she wasn’t sure why. She prided herself on her truth-telling, however, and moved past her discomfort to tell him, “Why, I was thinking of Eren before.”

Levi laughed bitterly at that. “Eren. Of course. You and your shitty little crush.”

“I won’t stand here and be insulted—!”

“Fine! Then leave!” Levi slammed his fist on the door. “I feel so sorry for you.”

His sneer stung. “Sorry? For me?”

“Yes, sorry because you’re such a child, Mikasa. A child crying for the moon. What would a child do with the moon if it got it? And what would you do with Eren? Yes, I’m sorry for you—sorry to see you throwing away happiness with both hands and reaching out for something that would never make you happy. I’m sorry because you are such a fool you don’t know there can’t ever be happiness except when like mates like. If I were dead, if Armin were dead and you had your precious honorable lover, do you think you’d be happy with him? Hell, no! You would never know him, never know what he was thinking about, never understand him. Whereas, we, dear wife of my bosom, could have been perfectly happy if you had ever given us half a chance, for we are so much alike. We are both scoundrels, Mikasa, and nothing is beyond us when we want something. We could have been happy, for I loved you and I know you, Mikasa, down to your bones, in a way that Eren could never know you. And he would despise you if he did know. . . . But no, you must go mooning all your life after a man you cannot understand. And I, my darling, will continue to moon after whores. And, I dare say we’ll do better than most couples.”

Mikasa gasped in shock. She turned around, lest Levi see her tears, and immediately he was at her back. She could smell the pungent odor of whisky, and said with horror, “Why, you’re drunk.”

“I’m drunk? My pretty darling, the only one of us who’s truly drunk is drunk on some childish notion of princes and white knights.”

“I won’t stand here and continue to be called a baby by you!” Mikasa stomped away angrily, followed by Levi’s sharp laughter. She went to bed angry, and she went to bed sad, her pillow wet and salty by the time she managed to fall asleep.

\---

She woke up in a jolt that night, and was suddenly brought very back to another night when she had been woken up suddenly. Terror shot through her, but she made her way bravely to the front door, where the knocking noise was coming from.

“Levi?” she murmured in surprise. “What’s going on?”

“Mikasa…just go back to bed. I’ll figure this all out.”

“No,” Mikasa said stubbornly. “Why are you being handcuffed?” She addressed the stranger at the door. “Do you know who you’re arresting right now? Where in the world do you have right, sir?”

The man smirked ugly. “Ma’am, we’ve heard grave accusations that your husband here has been dealing in bribery and fraud. I’m afraid we’ll have to keep him locked up for the night.”

Bribery? Fraud? If there was _anything_ Mikasa knew about Levi, it was that he was an honest in all of his financial dealings. This was utter bullshit, and she said as much.

“Whoo, we’ve got a feisty one,” the man laughed. “Wouldn’t mind a taste of her fer myself.” He winked at Levi.

“I’m sorry, officer; she’s just a little distressed.” Mikasa grinded her teeth at Levi apologizing for her. “Mind if we speak alone…?”

“Ooh, some time alone,” the man said salaciously. “Mind if I watch?” he sneered, but stepped outside of the doorway.

“Listen, Mikasa,” Levi said urgently. “Don’t provoke anyone, don’t interrupt anyone, and certainly don’t call any of them out on their bull shit while I’m gone.”

Mikasa opened her mouth to speak, but he kissed her fiercely, leaving both of them breathless. “I know it will be torture to ask that of you. But please…I’m begging you…I can’t protect you while I’m gone.”

“But these charges are bullshit! It’s more civilian bullshit; they’re just trying to string up the nobles. They don’t really want any proof to back it up; they’ll just keep you there indefinitely—”

Levi kissed her again, a little softer this time, but with no less passion. His lips moved gently over hers for a couple of moments, and Mikasa pressed frantically into him while the kiss lasted. “You shitty brat. If you cared, why didn’t you say so?”

“What?”

Levi looked at her tenderly. He passed her a handgun discreetly. “Keep this. I know you said the bodyguards were a waste of money, but there should be one patrolling the plantation right now—”

“What!”

“I couldn’t risk your life on it.”

“Levi, at least keep the gun then.”

“My dear, why couldn’t you be this doting when my life wasn’t on the line?”

“Your life’s not on the line!” Mikasa said sharply. “It’s not, right, Levi?”

“Of course not, darling.”

“Levi! Don’t treat me like an imbecile!”

He looked as though he might laught, and Mikasa was overcome with worry. “I would never.”

The officer knocked on the door loudly. “Alright, I’m bored. We have to go _now_.”

“Mikasa…please…just don’t cause any trouble.”

“Come back to me, and we’ll see,” she said stubbornly.

“It’s a deal.”

Just before he left, Mikasa called out, “Wait, Levi!”

He turned around, and Mikasa jumped onto him, pressing her lips against his and wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands handcuffed behind him, he could only react as Mikasa peppered his face with little kisses to the background noise of the officer’s wolf whistling.

“Be safe,” she murmured, before running back into the house, leaving an entranced Levi staring at her back. As kisses went, it was one of the most innocent that they’d shared.

It was also the first one she’d instigated.

Both of them hoped it wouldn’t be the last.


	2. Gone With the 3DMG

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is tired of Mikasa following Eren around like a lost little puppy. He knows she could be so much more, even if she doesn't. All she needs is a little...nudge.

Levi grinded his teeth together angrily. The Ackerman girl was following Jaeger around insistently again, like a lost little puppy. He wasn’t jealous, like Hanji insinuated. He was embarrassed. That was it. Embarrassed that such an independent, powerful woman was reduced to nothing more than drool and puppy dog eyes around a shitty little brat.

The fucking brat didn’t even have the grace to appreciate what he had, Levi thought with eyes narrowed as he witnessed Eren mostly ignore Ackerman.

It…It made him uncomfortable. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t care to find out. All that mattered were the results, and they were that his squad was getting an even more hellish training regimen this afternoon. Save Ackerman of course. She had private sparring practice with him, as he was the only one who could keep up with her.

\---

Whoosh! Thwack! Wham! They began practice as usual by warming up slowly, circling each other and lashing out suddenly before retreating again.

Moving with fluid ease, Levi took time to appreciate the sinuous flow of Mikasa’s graceful body. She moved so…economically, so efficiently, it was like art in movement, he mused. It was really something, and he sneered at those who recoiled from the supposed “masculinity” of her toned muscles. No, Ackerman was all woman and feminine suppleness, he thought, then caught his thoughts. Shit. He shouldn’t be thinking about his squad that way. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate a beautiful woman when he saw one, some idiotic voice from his teenage period pointed out.

Mikasa was flushed, which was unusual at this point in their spar. Levi quickly regained control of his wandering gaze and focused on their spar.

“Ackerman,” he called out. “Let’s make things interesting. Winner gets to ask loser a question, and she has to answer honestly.”

Mikasa’s eyes narrowed at Levi’s insinuation that she’d lose. “You’re awfully nosy today, short—heichou.”

“Well? Or are you afraid?” Levi sneered.

Mikasa tossed her hair back. “You’re on,” she said with a glint in her eyes.

He charged suddenly, and Mikasa’s fist lashed out. As always, he admired her superhuman reflexes. Within time, she would be good enough to keep him on his toes he thought with anticipation.

That time was not now. 

Her fist grazed his shoulder as he turned with her punch neatly, aiming one elbow at her solar plexus, taking care to soften the blow before it made contact. His other hand reached for a chokehold on her throat as he wored to get her arms restrained. She broke his hold and went straight for a head butt, which Levi sidestepped. If he were the type to smile, he’d do so now. She got riled so easily, stopped thinking midway through their fight every time, going for brute force. It was cute in a way. She probably wasn’t used to losing for long periods of time. He extended a leg as Mikasa stumbled forward, sweeping hers out from under her.

But he’d used that trick one too many times it seemed, and her hand reached out to snag the hem of his shirt. She’s always been a quick learner, he thought proudly, even as he dropped through the air.

He fell on top of her, his body banging into hers painfully. She groaned as something in her back cracked when it made contact with the dirt, but took her chance when he was dazed from the impact to switch their positions and bang his head on the ground a couple of times. (She wasn’t so good at holding back, his tigress.)

Levi stiffened. Her legs were around his waist, and she was straddling him and her hips were pressed right against his and Christ something felt very very good and he was pretty sure it was his little trainee’s body.

“Yield,” she hissed proudly, her elbow at his jugular. (When did that get here? he wondered.) There was a feral look to her eyes, and she looked so haughty, like she could crush him under his heel, and he liked it. (Her body was also bent and crouched low, close enough for her curves to brush his chest, and it was very distracting.)

He liked. it. But he’d never admit it.

He flattened to the ground suddenly, and Mikasa, caught off balance, fell on top of him. He slammed her to the ground next to him, trapping both her legs with one of his as he knelt over her and using one hand to pin both her wrists together above her head.

“Yield?” he smirked.

She struggled valiantly. She always did. Writhing and thrashing, many interesting parts of her body came into contact with many interesting parts of his body. “Never,” she snarled.

Levi didn’t mind. He could wait.

Finally, she tired, as always, lay panting there, on the ground. “Ask your question, asshole,” she spat.

Levi hummed. Normally he’d be onto any insubordination from his squad like that faster than a stain on the counter, but coming from Ackerman…it was awfully cute, he decided.

“About that shitty brat.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes. “You call us all shitty brats. Which one?”

“Jaeger.” Levi fucking hated the way her face softened automatically at the mention of that name. Something dark and furious roiled in his blood, and some part of his brain turned off while his mouth kept talking. “Why the fuck do you follow him around some like piss poor puppy who can’t eat if her master’s not there?”

He wanted her to get riled the way he was, to get those inky eyes of hers trained on him, not on some distant location past his shoulder. He wanted her to stop being so damn soft, and he wanted her to burn.

But Mikasa didn’t do any of those things. And that pissed him off. “Eren…he saved me. In the past.” Mikasa said gently, then clammed up.

Levi frowned. He knew a little something about being stuck in a sordid past.

“And you’ve repaid him in the full.”

“No,” Mikasa said softly with a distant gaze. “I’ll never be able to repay him. I just want to spend the rest of my life protecting him.”

Levi rolled of Mikasa abruptly. “That’s it for today. Same time tomorrow. Tell the rest of the squad they have an extra five more laps to run.”

“Heichou!”

\---

“She’s just…she fucking acts like she’s some one-man slave but she’s not and it sounds so rotten,” Levi complained.

Hanji nodded thoughtfully. “I see. So you want her to expand her horizons in her social interactions so that you can hold a chance in holding her attention.”

Levi fumed but didn’t disagree. “She’s acts like she’s so dependent on him, but I can smell the piss on her words. She wouldn’t sacrifice her life to save Eren.”

“She wouldn’t?” Hanji asked, surprised.

“No. She has so many more friends now, so many more people to protect. She has so much more to live for now, not like when she was little, and didn’t understand the world, and vowed to protect Eren forever.”

“I see. That is true. Have you thought about just telling her this directly?”

Levi leveled a glare at his best friend. “Why would she listen to me? Out of my entire squad, she’s the only one who dares call me shortie instead of heichou sometimes.”

“Hm? Doesn’t that signify some sign of affection? Anyways, I’m off to sleep.” Hanji patted Levi’s shoulder familiarly as she walked past him. “Oh, by the way, it’s her birthday in two days. Are you going to do anything?”

“Shit.”

\---

“What the—”

“Why are we in here?”

“Heichou? Do you know how early it is…?”

“Do not say a word, everyone, of I’ll cut off your balls and feed them to you through your ass.”

Deathly silence.

“It has come to my attention that the birthday of one of our cadets is approaching tomorrow. I’m not one for the hysterics people like to call celebration, but this cadet’s a special case, and I’ll need your help. Alright?” Without waiting for consent, he continued. “This is what we’re going to do…”

\---

Mikasa woke at the crack of dawn as usual. She liked the peace and quiet of a house filled with people not yet awake and chattering. Warm…but not irritating.

She opened her bedroom door, then exclaimed, “Heichou, what?”

He thrust something into her arms, and she grabbed it instinctively. It was soft, and she looked down, not quite seeing yet.

“Happy birthdady,” he muttered. “Listen, we should talk.”

“Is this…a scarf?” she lifted the mass of cotton up.

Levi barged into her room, then closed her door. He didn’t know why. “Yes,” he said curtly.

“It’s very…” Ugly was the word the came to the tip of her tongue, but she had some modicum of decency and managed to hold the word back. “Unique.”

“It’s shitty,” Levi corrected. “I didn’t make it. I mean I did. But not all of it.”

“What? Heichou, what’s going on?” Maybe it was something about the sunrise, but she looked softer, her mouth quirked up in a confused smile.

“Look,” he said. He pointed at a dark blue-green section on the edge of the scarf. “This is Eren. This is where you started.”

“Oh!” Mikasa exclaimed, excited as she began to see. Eren’s handiwork was clear in the section. Messy, strained strands that had clearly been unwoven and reknitted many times, indicating that, despite the chaotic appearance, much energy had been put into it.

Mikasa pointed at a beautiful golden section of the scarf that came next. Neatly woven, beautifully arranged, it had to be “Armin’s.”

Next came a deep, cognac color. The style of knitting was strange and foreign, but beautiful nonetheless. “Sasha.”

And on, and on, it went, until she had named every member of their squad and Hanji and Erwin. 

And then a green section, with a beautifully embroidered scouting legion symbol attached. “H-heichou?” she asked. There was only him left…but there was no way he was capable of such intricate needlework…was there?

Levi looked away. “Look. I’ve thought about what you said. About Eren. And maybe he saved you. And you feel a sense of obligation to him. But…you’re so much more than that, and you deserve better than an existence defined around him.”

Levi was lost in his thoughts for a couple of moments. “And…I wanted you to realize that. Look at everyone who put all their work into making this for you. You have a home. You have a family. And it’s not just Eren anymore.”

Levi looked at Mikasa finally, then flinched. “Oh, fuck—don’t do that! What are you doing. I cannot stand tears.” At loss at what to do, he grabbed her head roughly and shoved it onto his shoulder. He cringed at the feeling of her tears soaking his shirt. He was not thinking about how snotty her nose probably was. He was not thinking about that at all.

“Th-thank you, heichou. I-I don’t know how I can ever repay you…”

“Christ, do not start up that shitty business again. The last thing I need is for you to follow me around this time.” Levi’s heart leapt up at the idea, but he was not telling her that.

Mikasa giggled, a small giggle, and Levi’s ears pricked. Wanting to see her face, he rubbed his hand soothingly over the crown of her head then pulled back.

Mikasa leaned forward, then pecked his cheek, a slight brushing of silken lips over his cheekbone. “Really…thank you, heichou,” she murmured, her breath hot against his skin.

Levi stood up abruptly, shoving Mikasa back. “It’s—It’s nothing!” He walked in what he hoped was a casual manner out of her room.

Once outside the entrance way and out of her sight, he slid dramatically down the wall. He put his hands to his cheeks. They were warm.


	3. They are Fire, They are Water, They are Air, They are Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Four Elements

_i._  

They were fire, they were burning, they were sparks on dry tinder.

Mikasa attacked Levi’s lips fiercely with her own. They had been sparring. Or at least she thought they had. Somehow all their spars recently had been turning into angry make out sessions.

Neither yielded to the other, though each tried their best to get the other to do so. Mikasa yanked at his hair desperately, and moved her lips frantically over his. She absolutely hated the way it took just one look, or the brush of his hands against her skin to get her blood boiling.

She wanted to hurt him, kiss him, press into him until they melded into one.

Levi was not gentle either, his mouth insistent over hers. He suckled hard on his bottom lip, his breath hot on her mouth. His teeth scraped over her bottom lip hard. He had never been so out of control before, never been with someone with whom he could let go like this without hurting the other party. She was his warrior, who pushed back as good as he gave. His beautiful warrior.

Mikasa whimpered and arched unconsciously, lining her torso along his, her hips grinded onto his. She pushed herself onto him with everything she had. Adrenaline rushed through her. Kissing Levi was like a battle, and she went at him with the same energy she put into titan-killing.

They burned hotter and hotter until inferno consumed them both.

_ii._

They were water, they were flowing, they were streamlined grace.

They attracted a crowd, as always. Sword-fighting had largely become outdated with the rise of the titans, but Levi and Mikasa liked to occasionally bring blades into their sparring practice.

 _Whoosh_.

Their blades skimmed by each other, and they pulled back. They spun with each other fluidly, swords glinting metallically in the sunlight. They moved completely in sync, like a dance that had already been choreographed. He lunged. She sidestepped. She thrusted. He deflected.

Faster and faster, until the bystanders couldn’t tell which side was which, who was attacking and who was defending; they were just a whirl of back-and-forth blades, one entity of sword thrusts and complex footwork.

They didn’t smile but they shared secret looks. Alone, they were strong, but together they were water.

_iii._

They were air, they were nimble, they were the wind howling through the trees.

Mikasa had never truly known 3DMG until she was Levi, she realized. His form and tecnique were terrible, at least according to the way she had been teached, but he was graceful nonetheless. He sliced seamlessly through the air, with a unity with the air that she had never realized was possible.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

She sensed he was holding himself back for her and was caught by surprise—she was the one who tended to hold back for the rest of the group when using their gear on ventures in the forest.

So she pushed and she pushed, working hard like she had never before, trying to reach her goal. Levi. Air.

_iv._

They were earth, they were resilient, they were the rock upon which the other stood.

Sometimes they had nightmares.

Mikasa burst up, only remembering flashes of her dream. _Blood—Mom—red everywhere—Dad!—they’re dead dead dead BLOOD!_ She woke up quietly but shivering. Others had screamed in their sleep during nightmares, but never she. Mikasa lay back down again, trying not to wake Levi next to her. She jolted when he murmured, “Alright?” She nodded stoically. She was fine. She was.

The rustle of sheets, then Levi moving closer to her. He entangled his legs with her, then crouched over her, bending his head to brush against her lips. He moved slowly, sweetly against her, coaxing her back to the present with him. So lovingly. For the first time in a long time, Mikasa let herself cry about her parents. Tears trickled from under shut lids, and she kissed him back just as, or even adoringly.

And sometimes Levi had nightmares. There were many, many memories from the underworld he came from that he tried so hard to forget, only to have them creep out during the night, when he dropped his guard. Levi woke up in a jolt, sweating and breathing heavily. He woke to lips brushing against his temple, silken, fluttering kisses pressed all over his face. “Heichou…you looked really scared.” Mikasa continued to press kisses over Levi, trailing them across his neck and rapidly beating pulse. “Don’t be. I’m here…I’ll protect you.” Levi lay there, and for the first time in a long time, let himself be pampered and protected, as Mikasa moved across his body, rubbing soothing circles on his chest and pressing her ear to his heart. They stayed that way for a long time.

Strong. Sturdy. When all else seemed desperate, at least they had their earth.


	4. Seven Deadly Sins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven Deadly Sins: Lust. Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Wrath. Envy. Pride. Each sin has a sentence.

“Well, corporal, do you believe in sin?” Mikasa’s lips looked plump and red over the rim of her cup as she drank her tea, and Levi gazed at her mouth, enraptured by the sight of it pouting on her teacup.

The two both tended to get earlier than anyone else for an early morning jog and had somehow slipped into a routine of conversing a while when they got back. Somehow, Levi mused, Humanity’s Strongest and The Girl Worth a Hundred Soldiers had gotten…close.

“Sin?” Levi sipped his seventh cup of black tea.

“Like…the seven deadly sins.” Mikasa looked thoughtful. Levi watched on hungrily. These mornings together were a chance for him to see sides of his normally stoic cadet that she normally never let through. She was strangely unguarded in these moments. Levi wanted all of her expressions, her hidden sides that she showed no one else.

“Like lust,” Mikasa continued. “Gluttony. Greed. Sloth.” As if on cue, Levi stretched lazily, propping his heels on the edge of the table. Normally he would never do something so unhygienic, but the morning sun after a five-mile jog made him feel vaguely catlike.

She listed off the rest. “Wrath. Envy. Pride.”

“What’s not to believe?” Levi asked, genuinely curious.

“Well. They just seem so arbitrary…don’t they? Like I’m sure many people could call when Eren and I did when we were little excessively wrathful. As wrong. A sin.”

Levi thought about Mikasa’s tragic past and suddenly felt like killing more than just a few titans.

“Yes. In many cases, people are too quick to judge what they cannot understand as sin.”

Mikasa relaxed unconsciously, her muscles loosening. It seemed even Ackerman could be worried, Levi thought in amusement…at least until he heard her next words.

“Good, because Eren’s been pretty worried over the past for some reason lately.”

Levi tensed. Always, always, it was about that shitty brat, Eren. Levi wondered desperately what it was like to have someone care so fiercely, so loyally about him, what it was like to be in Eren’s shoes.

Mikasa stood up and pushed away for the table. “I’m going to go shower,” she announced. “See you later.”

Levi sat there by himself, drinking his tea and thinking quietly to himself. He could probably get Mikasa to come to regard him as highly she did Eren eventually, he thought. He was Humanity’s Strongest after all.


	5. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: redness, pain. They fight, have sex, make up. In that order.

He was such a pain in the ass, Levi—like a rash. An ugly, swelling rash, thought Mikasa.

“Ackerman! Don’t you walk away from me.”

Mikasa halted where she was but didn’t turn back, rolling her eyes away from Levi. They were alone, in a clearing in the forest. Levi had wanted to talk with her “privately.” They’d been fucking secretly for a couple of months now, so Mikasa thought she knew what he wanted. Turned out he actually wanted to talk.

“I am your superior, and I am god damn tired of your shit, Ackerman. From the very beginning you have been entirely dismissive of military hierarchy. You may not like me, you may not agree with me, you may hate me with a burning passion, but I need to know that you’ll follow my every order to the T in states of emergency.”

Mikasa sighed under breath, tugging on her scarf in annoyance. It was so hot and stuffy today. She did not want to deal with this now. Mikasa turned around and faced Levi. “Sir, yes, sir.”

Levi rasied one brow in question. “That wasn’t very convincing.”

 _Are you kidding me?_ Mikasa thought in annoyance as she stomped to the ground and slammed a fist to her heart. “Sir, yes, sir!”

“Even if Eren’s in danger, you’ll follow my order.”

“Yessir!”

“If a titan has the brat in his hold and is raising him to his mouth, you’re not to move until I tell you.”

Mikasa gritted her teeth. “Yessir!”

“If Eren’s bleeding to his death on the ground, and the site has been cleared of titans, and I tell you to stay back you’re. Not. Going. To. Move.”

Mikasa’s jaw clamped down angrily, but she did not reply.

“Well? Cadet Ackerman?”

She should just agree. It was so simple. Just two words and he would leave her alone. But the image of Eren, lifeless, lying on the ground while she was unable to go help him…it tormented her. Mikasa narrowed her eyes at the corporal.

Mikasa fell ungracefully to the ground on her butt, blinking in confusion. Levi had swept her legs out from under her. She hadn’t even seen him move.

Levi remained standing, staring down at her coldly. “Don’t give me that look. Not everything is about your Eren fetish. Normally, I’d admire the rare streak of independence in this shithole, but situations are dire. I won’t have you fucking everything up and endangering my comrades because you can’t think straight around your boyfriend.”

Mikasa snarled and made a lunge for his ankle. Levi, who had seen the move coming from three thousand miles away, dodged her grab easily and kicked her in the middle of her chest, then pounced on her.

Mikasa’s back lay in the dust, and Levi’s knee jabbed painfully in her chest as he pinned her to the ground.

“Stop being such a spoiled brat,” he said angrily. “There are some things more important than Eren’s safety.”

“Not to me there aren’t,” she snarled, bending her head back and biting the part of his thigh close to her face.

“You little shit—” He was on her in seconds, his lips pressing with bruising intensity against her mouth. His mouth pushed forcefully at her lips, and the back of her head pressed painfully into the sharp ground.

Mikasa threaded one hand through his hair and yanked forcefully. She wasn’t sure if she was trying to get his head off of hers or if she was encouraging him. Her other hand wrapped around his shoulder, and she pressed blunt nails into his shoulder blade.

His body jolted, and a whine escaped his mouth. Shit. He was supposed to be the one in control here. But the soft heat of her body, rich with a musk of sex and sweat, messed with his mind and drove him crazy.

“What about humanity?” he near growled as he forced himself to stop kissing her, to stop touching her.

Mikasa had no time for small talk. She kept trying to incite him to move again, but he refused to budge. Her lips were very distracting when they were all over his face, but Levi had an iron self-control. At least he hoped he does.

“What about it?—oh! Are you still stuck on that Eren thing?” Mikasa said finally when she couldn’t get him to kiss her again. “Why are you making such a big deal about things—mmph!”

Levi was angry. Usually he was always angry, a quietly simmering rage settling right beneath his skin, but somehow the Ackerman brat always managed to bring his rage right out, set his blood boiling. He kissed her hard and fast, desperate to make _her_ whine. It was a big deal. It was a very big deal.

She shouldn’t be able to claim some shitty little brat who probably couldn’t even take a shit by himself as the most important thing to her so nonchalantly like that. He didn’t know much about teenage girls, but…he knew that at least that it wasn’t okay. He exhaled angrily into her mouth and took her bottom lip between his. What he would give to have her think about him that way…No, wait. That wasn’t right either. He should want her to be her own person.

Mikasa moved underneath Levi eagerly or reluctantly—both, probably. She both punched him in the shoulder multiple times but kept a hand on the back of his neck when he tried to pull away. Was she…? Levi cradled one hand around her cheek while still kissing her deeply. Yep. It was warm, and if he stared really hard, he could see the lightest dusting of red on her cheeks. The fucking brat was embarrassed.

Some part of him calmed down at that. He began to kiss her more slowly, more sweetly.

Mikasa was not satisfied. She gently trailed nails across the back of his neck, liking the little groan Levi let out immensely. It seemed Heichou liked a little pain mixed in with his pleasure.

Levi was kissing her adoringly, but Mikasa didn’t want sweet. She kissed Levi as hard as she could, then bit the inside of his lips hard. Her mouth slanted across his forcefully. Come on, Heichou, she thought. Take the goddamn hint.

Levi understood her meaning very well. The little brat didn’t know her fucking place. If she wanted rough, he’d give her rough. He settled more fully over her body, straddling her hips and grinding his pelvis against her relentlessly. When he scraped his lips over her bottom lip, she whimpered and arched against him wildly, pressing her curves fully into his chest. Levi shivered slightly at the sensation.

They lay like that for a couple moments, kissing wetly and roughly. Then Levi’s hand travelled lower and lower, brushing up and down along her sides. Finally, he settled his hand around the bottom of his breast, the curve along his thumb and index finger the only part of his hand touching it. Just when Mikasa thought she couldn’t handle the waiting, he moved his hand finally, taking a thumb to rub a nipple slowly but surely. She felt his finger through the thin material of her sports bra acutely, and her nipple pebbled like wildfire, the sensation sending a jolt to straight between her legs. She bucked into his hand, moaning with abandon at the delicious feeling.

Then he twisted it gently through her shirt and sports bra, and she gasped. _Holy fuck_. She’d never felt anything so wildly pleasurable before.

Levi gently brought Mikasa to a sitting position, then began lifting her shirt up.

“Hei-heichou,” she stuttered. It felt so… _naughty_ , calling him that, while they were doing what they were doing, while she was getting undressed. “We’re—we’re still in public.”

Levi’s pride soared at being able to make his normally stoic cadet flustered enough to stutter. “Do you want me to stop, then, Ackerman?” He punctuated his point by sucking hard on her pulse. When she didn’t reply, only gripped his hair tightly, gnawed the area lightly. “Well, Ackerman?” he said dangerously. He needed to know she was okay with this, that she wanted this just as badly as he.

She still didn’t reply, letting Levi cup her breast and plant kisses across her neck silently. All of a sudden, he became insecure. What was he doing? Attacking her in the open like some sort of animal? She must feel so violated.

Mikasa tore off her shirt and sports bra in one graceful movement—Levi always had time to admire the Mikasa’s athletic beauty—then lunged at Levi, tackling him to the ground. She sucked the place closest to her mouth, a patch of skin below his ear, and he jolted into her. Jesus. She was discovering erogenous places within thirty minutes that he’d never even realized after thirty years.

“No, of course I don’t want you to stop, you _ass_ ,” she snarled. “Stop teasing me.”

Levi couldn’t but chuckle. He, the ass here? He was definitely _not_ the tease. They’d been in an ambiguous friends-with-benefits relationship for months now, and, always she was the one who jerked him around like a puppy on a chain. She was so beautiful for him when they were alone, and then she acted like he didn’t exist in front of other people, showering all her attention on that shitty Jaeger and that shitty Arlert.

Mikasa’s breasts hung right in front of his face, so he gave in to his deepest desires, drawing one into his mouth while still playing with the nipple of the other, pinching and rolling it between his fingers. Levi suckled the center of one breast hard. When he caught her nipple between his teeth, she let out a cry.

He moved his mouth to in between her breasts, planting a sweet kiss on the fine hairs there. He nuzzled affectionately, taking the time to lick the sweat running down her cleavage. It was so hot…everything was so hot. The heat from Mikasa permeated through the humidity of the air around them, until Levi felt like he was burning from it all.

Not wanting to let Mikasa get too accustomed to his gentleness, he bit sharply at the side of one breast and sipped on the bite mark, pulling back to admire the redness of the her skin there.

Mikasa loved the feeling of Levi acting with her without restraint. No one had ever kept her one her toes physically the way Heichou did.

Mikasa arched into Levi’s mouth and grinded her hips against his, thrusting into him. “ _Fuck_ , L-Levi…I can’t take it anymore…” She pushed against him selfishly, letting his arousal press against her right…about…there…

Levi had probably never taken off his pants so quickly in his life. At the same time, he couldn’t stop kissing Mikasa, planting his lips anywhere he could reach and leaving wet trails all over her torso. Mikasa shucked off her own pants with a little feminine shimmer, and Levi’s mouth went dry. Jesus. He didn’t know where to even start: her deliciously defined thighs, her toned ass, or that damp spot on her panties.

Mikasa wasn’t helping him decide either, as she began trailing kisses across him in payback for before. She was very liberal in her use of teeth, and the first place she went for was his own nipples, repaying him with his own move as she traced the edge of her teeth around his nipples before biting down on the nipple. She left red scratch marks all across his body, and Levi was helpless to do anything but moan on top of her.

Her bite was ecstasy. She did it again and again, and each time Levi shuddered uncontrollably. Each time her teeth pierced his skin, it was as if he was piercing her, thrusting in her already. His cock jumped to attention at each bite. He yanked the ends of her hair, and she moaned, arching her neck while her face was at his chest.

It hurt so fucking much and it felt so good. She was so rough, so aggressive, his fucking warrior. His fucking warrior queen. There were a lot of times when Levi felt like he had to keep himself restrained, both physically and mentally, but never with Mikasa. She had been godsend at a time when he felt like he was about to burst from holding everything back.

“Mikasa…” Levi rasped. He wanted to tell her that. That even if Jaeger was all that mattered to her, it wasn’t the same way for him. That…he cared about her. That he had always been _right there_ , and if she just looked away from that Jaeger brat for one second, she’s realize how right they were for each other.

But then Mikasa bit that spot right on his hip bone, and _her mouth was this close to his dick_ , and Levi’s eyes rolled up, and his mind went blank for more than a few seconds.

Levi couldn’t stand it anymore. He pulled her up beneath her, reaching down between her legs to make sure she was sufficiently prepared for him, then smirking slightly at how soaked she was.

“Shut up!” Mikasa rolled her eyes at Levi’s expression, guessing the reason why. “God, you’re such a fucking ass.”

By this point, Levi could tell when she was lashing out from embarrassment, and his smirk only grew harder to control. He kept a firm hand on her sensitive clit, then surged into her, and they both released gasps of relief simultaneously at the feeling.

“Ah—ah,” Mikasa cried, as Levi grunted above her. “Hah—Levi!”

“I know.” He thrust into her wildly, without caution, loving the slick feel of her all around him. “Jesus, Mikasa.” He leaned down to kiss her fiercely, their tongues wet and slick against each other. He felt so many things for this contradiction of a girl, this girl who acted like she had no cares in the world except for Jaeger but let herself go so freely when she was with him.

Levi moved within her. They were both slick from sweat, and they slid along each other. She was so hot everywhere, especially around his cock, and it was so hot, they were so hot, everything was red-hot. His neck and chest sheened with sweat, his muscles rigid and burning from exertion.

Mikasa gripped his ass tightly, leaving curved indent marks on each cheek. She raised her hips to meet each thrust, swiveling and tightening around him in a way that made Levi’s hands slick with sweat. She put her mouth against Levi’s neck and just lay there, panting hotly against him, wanting to touch him in every place possible.

The two bucked against each other and entangled themselves within each other as they wrapped their arms around each other. “Mikasa,” Levi groaned gutturally, and his voice and the intense look from his gunmetal blue eyes was enough to send her over the edge.

“Oh,” she gasped. “There, yes,” and she came with a shattering pleasure, curving up and letting the feeling wash through her, her muscles slackening with relaxation.

Levi pushed roughly into her a few more times, groaning at how slick she was now. “Nngh,” he groaned and tensed to come after her. His chest and abs corded as he pumped within her, surging endlessly. Mikasa gripped him tightly, and she took all of him in. Finally, he collapsed on top of her, both breathing heavily and enjoying the comfort of the other’s bodily warmth.

“Me,” said Levi quietly, finally asking the question that’d been lingering on his mind before he’d started their entire shenanigans. “What about me?”


	6. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is surprised by a Valentine's Day Gift from Mikasa. B-b-but it doesn't mean anything, of course!

“H-here!” Levi looked up at the sudden exclamation to see the Ackerman brat shove a package roughly into his chest, except she missed and banged his nose onto it.

He grabbed the package roughly out of her hands in an irritated fashion. “Ackerman, _what_ are you doing?”

Mikasa pulled up her scarf and muttered. “Vambimsh. It’s…for va…” She trailed off into incoherent muttering.

Levi stared at her. “Ackerman, I cannot understand a single word you’re saying.”

Mikasa threw her hands up in the air. “It’s for Valentine’s Day! Va—len—tine’s. Happy now?”

Levi’s eyebrows drew together. What was she getting so worked up for when she was the one giving him chocolate in the first place? He finally took a look at what he was holding. It was a plainly wrapped small box, and something in his heart twinged at the thought of the stoic Ackerman brat taking time out of her day to prepare this for him.

He looked at it thoughtfully.

“It’s—it’s obligatory!” she cried, misunderstanding his expression. “Don’t—don’t get any ideas, you shortie!”

Levi raised a brow. “Calm down, Ackerman. I didn’t say anything.”

She quieted but remained glowering. “It’s nothing personal. I just wanted to thank you for saving Eren that time…when I couldn’t.”

“Cadet, you have a remarkable talent at thanking and insulting me within the same breath.”

Mikasa huffed and fidgeted with her scarf but didn’t say anything. Levi thought he could detect the slightest hinting of red across her cheekbones. How cute.

“Thank you,” Levi said sincerely. “I appreciate the sentiment.”

Mikasa turned around abruptly, her hair and scarf flipping out behind her, and Levi was left to stare at her back amusedly. Fucking brat. She could kill a titan ten times her size with ease but didn’t know how to take a compliment.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Mikasa whirled back around and marched back up to Levi. She got uncomfortably close, but Levi refused to budge backwards. Finally, she bent her head down and pecked him on the cheek, not even a kiss, just the tiniest brush of silken lips. She was so flustered that she missed slightly, getting dangerously close to the corner of his lips.

“Don’t take—don’t take this the wrong way, you midget!”

Then she stomped off again.

Levi pressed three fingers to the corner of his mouth, staring thoughtfully into space.

Meanwhile, Mikasa bullied Sasha mercilessly, tugging up her scarf to hide her hot face.

\---

 _Omake:_ _Mikasa’s a surprisingly excellent baker, and her chocolates are delicious, so Levi follows her around doing good deeds for her in hope that she’ll owe him again and decided to make him more chocolates._


	7. Genderbent AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genderbent AU. In which Levi is the queen of the Scouting Legion and Mikasa is a perverted fanboy.

NOTE: GENDERBENT AU!!!! perverted!masc!mikasa!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Mikasa whistled sweet and low in the mess hall. He was usually quiet during dinner time, until a certain someone was in his presence.

His expression remained neutral, but his eyes travelled leisurely along Levi’s body, who was walking past the 104th squad. Without even taking her eyes off the path in front of her, Levi’s leg shot out to sweep across the legs of the chair that Mikasa was sitting in.

“Whoa—” Mikasa let out a burst of an exclamation before tilting over backward and landing on her back hard. “Jeez…” He sat up slowly, rubbing his bottom gingerly.

Levi kept walking on, with Hanji behind her. “I have no time for the chauvinistic antics of cadets who can barely take care of themselves,” she called out. “Keep your eyes to yourself, Ackerman.” With a flip of her hair, she walked towards the leader’s section of the mess hall.

Eren, along with the rest of the 104th squad stared after her, enraptured. “Heichou…is so cool!” she exclaimed. “I want to be just like her!”

Mikasa smirked silently to himself. “And I want to be just in her,” he said under his breath.

Armin rolled her eyes, while Eren slapped him lightly across the head. “God, you pervert,” she cried. “Don’t desecrate our heichou that way.”

Out of nowhere, a fork whizzed through the air, landing solidly next to Mikasa’s foot. It flew into the floor with such velocity that the handle bent slightly from the impact. Mikasa looked in the direction of the fork and saw Heichou glaring at him from the commanders’ table.

Levi pointed at Mikasa fiercely. _You._ Then at herself. _Me._ She made a jabbing motion at the door. _Talk outside. Now_. Levi made her way out of the mess hall without even looking back to see if Mikasa got the message.

Mikasa scrambled up so quickly he almost tripped over himself in his rush to get out of the mess hall. Ymir catcalled and hooted, “Finally going to get a piece of the ass you’ve dreamed about, Mikasa?” making vulgar thrusting gestures with his hand.

Sasha snorted. “If Heichou doesn’t kill the poor guy first, then his chances are probably looking up.”

Mikasa didn’t even hear them though. He floated towards the door in a dazed fashion. When he got outside, a hand yanked out and dragged him behind the building.

He was met with a pair of soft lips. Levi kissed him fiercely, tugging him down by his lapels to slant her lips across his hard. Mikasa thought he might faint when he even felt a bit of tongue.

 _Holy shit…Is this real life?_ he wondered desperately. After his intial desperation, he quickly scrambled to kiss Levi back and give as good as he got.

Levi closed her eyes. This wasn’t as bad as she thought it’d be, surprisingly. The brat was a novice, but eager to please. She let herself go more than she realized and stopped herself when she realized she was unconsciously whining into his mouth and pressing into him as Mikasa suckled wetly on her bottom lip.

She pulled back furiously, then made a big show of wiping her lip with the back of her hand dramatically. “Best be satisfied with that cadet, because it’s all you’re getting,” she snarled. She spat furiously at the ground, then stomped off, only to sneak a peek behind her and see Mikasa staring dreamily at her.

Levi sighed. It seemed she’d only made problems worse.


	8. What do you think of Levi and Mikasa's relationship?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scouting Legion's opinions on Mikasa and Levi getting together.

  _What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

 **Ymir** : “Thank _god_ they finally started fucking; the sexual tension was smothering everyone else. Isn’t that right, Krista? Wasn’t all that unresolved sexual tension getting you all hot and bothered?”

 **Krista** : “Well, there was a lot of chemistry between the two of them, that’s true. I’m very happy for the two of them. You can tell from the way Levi looks at her that he treasures her very much. It’s very sweet.”

(Background noise:

“What about the way I look at you, huh? What can you tell from that?”

“Ymir, stop. We’re talking about Heichou and Mikasa here.”

“But, _babe_.”

A sigh. Smooching noises.)

\---

_What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Bertl** : “Eh—eh? Are you…are you asking me? Well, it’s kind of scary, isn’t it? Humanity’s Strongest and the Girl Worth 100 Soldiers…It’s like an invincible pair?”

 **Reiner** : “Jeez, Bertl, don’t be such a wuss. I think it’s incredible they could both get their sticks out of their asses enough to make a move. I wonder who tops?”

 **Annie** : “…I respect Mikasa as a person and as a fighter. I don’t really see why her personal relationships should be of interest to me.

(Background noise:

“Jesus, Annie, you’re such a party pooper!”

“R-Reiner maybe you’d like to tone it down a little…”

“Aw, is Bertl defending his woman?”

Bam! “Shut up, Reiner.”

“O-Ow…Annie…Try holding back a little at least…”) 

\---

_What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Marco** : “I think they fit together very well, and they’re probably the only two who can keep up with each other. They have the qualities to be a long-lasting couple.”

 **Jean** : *incoherent sobbing*

(Background noise:

“It’s okay, Jean…I’ll comfort you…”

“M-Marco?! Where are your hands going, Marco!?”)

\---

_What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Sasha** : “You’d think that now that Mikasa has a relationship with Heichou, she’d have less time to pick on me! But _nooo_ , now they team up and bully me endlessly. It’s the worst! The worst, I say!”

 **Connie** : “Yeah. It’s a pretty strange couple, but whatever. It’s all worth it to see the elaborate pranks they play on Sasha.”

(Background nosie:

"H-hey!" Whack!

"What the...You just threw a potato at me! Where do you even get these, Sasha?")

\---

_What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Hanji** : “Woohoo! Thank god someone was still willing to accept him despite his short stature and cleaning fetish!”

 **Erwin** : “Levi is a very good, old friend of mine. I wish him happiness in this endeavor.”

\---

_What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Eren** : “It’s a bit sad to think she won’t be as close to us as much anymore, but I’m genuinely very happy for her. I never could have imagined it, but they look good together.

 **Armin** : “Mikasa…she’s grown so much after meeting Levi. I’m glad she’s felt secure enough to move on past just being our protectors to being her own person. Levi’s been good to her. I’m glad.”

(Background noise:

*incoherent sobbing*

“There, there, Eren…it’s okay…”

“It’s just…our little girl’s all grown up…” *more incoherent sobbing*)

\---

_Omake: What do you think of Mikasa’s relationship with Levi?_

**Armin** : “I can see what’s happening.”

 **Eren** : “What?”

 **Armin** : “And they haven’t got a clue.”

 **Eren** : “Who?”

 **Armin** : “They’ll fall in love and here's the bottom line: our trio’s down to two!”

 **Eren** : “Oh.”

 **Armin** : “Ze sweet caress of twilight. There’s magic in the air. And with all this ro—man—tic atmosphere. Disaster’s in the air…”


	9. True Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He would cross any taboo for her... Would she?

When they started going out, it began like this:

“You’re such a fucking brat,” Levi said, but with no real bite behind his words, as he nursed his beer with Mikasa, as they often did, together, since she turned eighteen. They were…oddly similar, Levi found, both terribly aware of humanity’s cruelty but also recognizant of its beauty, and both willing to go great lengths to protect that potential.

“And you’re a stubborn asshole,” she replied just as calmly. “You have to admit I’m right though—if you just worked on your form a little more and got rid of all that extraneous movement in your combat, you’d save so much energy.”

Levi winced. It was blunt, but it was also true, and that was one of the reasons he liked her. “I don’t have to admit anything,” he said sulkily. “You’re a piece of shit.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, then she looked up at him. She didn’t smile, but there was a teasing tone in her eyes—and also maybe tenderness? Levi thought.

It took his breath away, the way she looked at him, and suddenly Levi realized that they were sitting far too close together, legs pressed together from ankle to thigh, and when did her face get so close? They both stared at each other silently for a while, and then Mikasa’s eyelashes fluttered as her gaze was caught on Levi’s lips, which just about broke him, so what else was there to do but cradle her head in his and lean up and kiss her softly?

And when she kissed him back and moved her lips against his eagerly, that startled him, but there was also a sense of something clicking into place, as if this was how the world should be, Mikasa’s soft body leaning into him always.

\---

Their relationship developed; it was more than just sex—as enjoyable as that was. They became each other’s confidantes, lovers, and best friends, all in one, without anyone the wiser. They talked about the universe and about death and about human nature. Levi once asked Hanji:

“You don’t…find it weird? That I’m spending so much time with that Ackerman brat now?” he ventured, wondering how no one had realized they were going out yet.

“Whaaat?” Hanji asked in confusion. “Levi, I don’t know how you haven’t noticed this, but you’ve always been hanging out with Mikasa. Not that I blame you; if I were into human anatomy, Mikasa sure would be a model specimen—all these compact muscles packed into one lithe body, mmm…”

Outwardly, Levi bonked Hanji on the head and called her a disgusting science otaku, but inwardly, he agreed.

\---

Mikasa was not a fan of PDA , and heated encounters often went like this:

“Mmph!” Mikasa whimpered as Levi attacked her mouth hungrily, her hands clutching his shoulders frantically. “Someone could see us.”

“Don’t care,” he mumbled into her lips, his tongue running along the seam of her mouth.

Mikasa pulled back, yanking on Levi’s hair. If Levi thought he was going to wear the pants in this relationship, well, he had another thought coming. “ _I_ care,” she said primly, and she stepped out of his embrace. She took him by the hand and dragged him to her room, fully intent on having her wicked way with him when they reached her room.

He pulled back sulkily on her hand. “Is it because you don’t want Eren to know about us?” he asked sulkily.

Mikasa threw her hands in the air. “When will you get over that, you idiot? You know I’d choose you—every time. Or haven’t I made that clear enough?” she murmured in a sultry voice against his lips, throwing her arms around his neck.

Levi regretted the day Mikasa discovered the power she held over him but simultaneously thanked God very dearly for it as his blood thrummed with the desire to push her up against the wall and take her right then and there, the need to feel those strong arms of hers wrapped tightly around him.

“Fine,” he snarled, knowing he’d give her anything she asked—hating her and loving her for it. He let her lead him to the privacy of her room.

\---

So that was how their relationship progressed in secrecy without either of them meaning it to, and this was how the end began:

“What could I do to get you to take my name when we married?” Levi wondered idly as he lay next to Mikasa on their bed, twirling her hair lazily. “Mikasa Ackerman does have a nice ring to it.”

This burst a rare laugh out of Mikasa. “Of course it does, since it is my name.”

Levi raised a brow. “Whoa, there; we’re not married yet. But if you want to take my last name so badly, I could arrange that,” he said slyly.

The smile dropped off of Mikasa’s face so fast it was like it hadn’t even been there in the first place. “Levi, what are you talking about? Ackerman’s _my_ last name.”

“No…” Levi shook his head slowly. “ _My_ last name is Ackerman.”

\---

And this is the middle of the end:

“Fucking shit, Mikasa, will you open the door already?” Levi called as he pounded the door. His voice broke. “I-I can’t take this anymore. I need to see you. Please stop avoiding me.”

“I—I can’t—I don’t know what’s going on—what do I do—I— _Levi_ ,” and the heartbreak and grief in Mikasa’s voice just about broke him when everything else hadn’t.

“Mikasa, please. Just let me see you.”

Levi waited for a few agonizing moments, then felt alive when the door creaked open slowly, and Mikasa poked her head around. “Come in, but, please, stay on the other side of the room.”

And even as Levi understood her plea, it hit him like an arrow in the heart (but not in the good way) and he felt sick to the stomach. _Is this it?_ he wondered. _Is this the end_?

“You’re my _uncle_ ,” she said brokenly—and god, he’d hated himself before, but he’d never hated himself as much for hurting her like this. “I-I thought you were French.”

“Half English,” he said brusquely.

Mikasa let out a bitter laugh. “I thought I knew the world was cruel, but I really had no idea.”

Levi wanted to wrap his arms around her, make it all go away for her, tell her it would all be alright, when it was anything but.

“So this is it, I guess,” Mikasa said acidly. “We’ve had our torrid love affair; now we can go our separate ways since we know we’re—we’re—”

Levi saw red and pounded his fist on the bed separating him and Mikasa. It wasn’t satisfying at all—possibly nothing could satisfy this anger except Mikasa in his embrace, his name on her lips, and the taste of her skin on his mouth—all things he would never get to enjoy again. “That’s it?” he spat. “You fucking coward—you’re giving up on us?”

Mikasa’s eyes flashed dangerously. They always did when they fought, and it made sense they would now, at the end, Levi thought. He loved the flash of her eyes. “Not completely,” she begged—and Levi was too caught up in his own grief and anger not to recognize the vulnerable tone underlying her anger—“just the romance part. We’ll always be good—great friends, won’t we? There was more to our relationship than just romance and sex, right?”

“Friends? Friends? Am I supposed to play act your uncle then? Pretend I haven’t covered every inch of your skin with my mouth, haven’t heard the noises you make only when you’re on the verge of release, haven’t felt you all clenching around me, raking your nails around my back? Am I supposed to forget the feeling of your lips on mine, that protective, possessive look in your eyes, and the beauty of your smile? Meanwhile, I’m supposed to be your uncle—your blood, your family, a father figure—and protect you—” he broke off with a silent laugh, but there was no light in his eyes. “Protect you from boys who want to do exactly what I’ve done to you, and what I’ll dream of doing to you every night from here on to the future.”

Too late, he realized Mikasa had crouched on the ground and was sobbing silently. “Oh, Mikasa,” he said and vaulted over the bed, ignoring all warnings in his head and taking her into his arms. “I’m sorry…love, I’m sorry.”

Mikasa shoved at his chest angrily, but Levi held tight, used to her superhuman strength. “You think I want to do this, you bastard? I’d give up my parents all over again if it meant I could have you. But we just can’t; it’s impossible; there’s nothing we can do—and I’d rather have a part of you than none of you all—“ Mikasa broke into sobs again.

And Levi held her, and he rocked her, cradling her in his arms, and he faced the cold hard truth: he was willing to cross any taboos, any boundaries society had created as long as he could have her, but she would not; it was unconceivable to Mikasa who value family, especially blood family, so highly—so it would break his heart, but he would separate himself from her, he would play the doting uncle as she so dearly wished, and maybe she’d forget about him, or, at least, her feelings would lessen with time, but his never would and he would shatter his heart everyday and watch her find happiness with some other boy as long as she was happy.

So he pressed kiss after kiss to her temple—telling himself it would be the last one, then taking another—and wiped away her tears gently. “It’s okay,” he murmured to her. “It just wasn’t meant to be. But I swear: in my next life, and in the life after that, and in all my lives after that for forever, I will find you, and I will love you with an all-consuming passion, and we will have hundred thousand marriages. Maybe not in this universe, but I swear to you I will always find you.”

Mikasa swallowed and pressed one last soft kiss to Levi’s lips. “See you later then.”


End file.
